A billionaire businessman is investing Rs. 1000 crores ($150m) to produce India’s biggest ever motion picture.

Dr. B.R. Shetty is set to break Indian records by investing in an adaptation of Mahabharata directed by V.A Shrikumar Menon.

Mahabharata will be produced in two parts and is scheduled to go on floor by September 2018 and will be released in early 2020.

The second part of the film will be released within 90 days of the first part.

The film will be shot primarily in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu and will be dubbed into major Indian languages and leading foreign languages.

The ancient Sanskrit epic of Mahabharata has been a topic of creative adaptation in different formats for many decades.

There have also been efforts to render it, but the success of these has been limited to the stage or serialisation for television audiences.

Dr. B.R. Shetty, Founder and Chairman of UAE Exchange and NMC Healthcare said, “Mahabharata is an epic of all epics. This movie will be a true 'Made in India' made for the world.

"Mahabharata mesmerizes as well as brings focus on life and living. I believe that this film will not only set global benchmarks but also reposition India and its prowess in mythological storytelling. I am confident that this film will be adapted in over 100 languages and reach over three billion people across the world. Importantly, I am awestruck by the fantastic screenplay by Sri. MT and I have tremendous faith in the ability of V.A. Shrikumar to paint this narrative on celluloid. His passion and energy are boundless.”

M.T. Vasudevan Nair said, “I’m extremely happy with Dr. Shetty’s belief in the potential of the story and his passion and commitment to take it to global audiences. I sincerely congratulate him for his vision in backing a project of this scale.”

Director V. A. Shrikumar Menon, said, “I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Shetty for having immense faith in this project and help bring it to life with his financial commitment and his innate pride on Indian heritage.

"We are fully geared to attain the next level of production quality and visual magic, as well as narrative wizardry with this initiative.”